When to Use?
Announcements are an ideal way to post time-sensitive information critical to course success. Unlike messages, new announcements appear immediately when a student opens a course. Students are less likely to ignore the information you share in a course announcement because it demands attention before viewing the course content. When you add an announcement, you can also send it as an email to students in your course. Students receive the announcement even if they don't log into your course.
Create an Announcement
1. In the top-level navigation in your course, select Announcements.
2. At the top right corner of the Course Announcement page, select the Create Announcement plus sign ( + ) icon. If this is the first announcement in the course, a new announcement will open automatically.
3. On the New Announcement page, in the Title field, enter a descriptive title for your announcement. (NOTE: The title has a 256-character limit)
4. In the Message text box, enter the information you want to send to students. Optionally, use the toolbar in the message editor to format text, embed multimedia, and attach files.
5. You can use the Send an email copy to recipients for critical announcements (e.g. class cancellations). Students will receive emails at the address associated with their Blackboard account, even if they don’t log into the course.
6. Use the Schedule Announcement if you want the announcement to be posted or visible for a specific time and date.
7. Once you have finished putting together your announcement, click Save. Your announcement is now saved as a draft on your Course Announcements page.
8. To post your announcement immediately, select Post Now. If you scheduled your announcement to show on a future date, Blackboard will automatically post the announcement at the scheduled time and date. (Note: The Post Now button will be greyed out until the course is made visible to students. The course must be available to students in order to post announcements.)
- If an announcement is posted while checking the "Send an email copy to recipients" check box, an email copy of the announcement will be sent immediately.
- If an announcement is posted while checking the “Schedule announcement” check box, there is no immediate email copy, but an email copy comes through within 15 – 20 minutes.
- If an announcement is posted, without checking extra boxes there is no immediate email copy, but an email copy comes through within 15 – 20 minutes.
See also: Blackboard Help - Announcements